Sachem CSD Common Core Unit Template
Grade: Regents Physics, Grades 11 - 12
Topic: Forces
NYS Learning Standards/CCSS:
Learning Targets:
Standard 1: Analysis, Inquiry, and Design
Standard 4: The Physical Setting: Students will
understand and apply scientific concepts, principles,
and theories pertaining to the physical setting
Standard 6: Interconnectedness
1. I can analyze and evaluate a physical situation
(e.g. pushing a car) and determine what forces are
are present.
2. I can interpret Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion and
utilize them to solve and explain how a particular
object is undergoing various types of motion.
3. I can construct and discuss ideas based upon the 7
most common forces found in our everyday lives:
applied, gravitational, frictional, air resistance,
normal, spring, tension.
4. I can calculate the force due to gravity acting on
an object in all physical situations as well as the
frictional force acting on a body at rest or in motion.
5. I can draw a free body diagram that depicts all of
the forces acting on an object.
6. I can relate the net force acting upon an object to
its linear motion and construct a graph representing
its distance traveled, velocity, and acceleration.
7. I can perform an experiment in the laboratory
setting which will compare the mass of an object to
its weight.
8. I can perform an experiment in the laboratory
setting which will allow me to compare the net force
acting on an object to its acceleration.
RHST. 11-12.3
RHST. 11-12.4
RHST. 11-12.7
RHST. 11-12.8
RHST. 11-12.9
WHST. 11-12.4
WHST. 11-12.6
Essential Questions:
1. How would you define a force acting on a object?
2. Can you explain the difference between the mass of an object and its weight relative to its physical
location?
3. When analyzing a car in motion on a flat horizontal road traveling at a constant speed of 25m/s how
what would be all of the forces acting on the car?
4. How would you construct a free body diagram of a skydiver that jumped from a plane? (Include air
resistance)
5. How would you describe the difference between static and kinetic friction?
6. What direction will the force of friction always be acting in relationship to the direction that you are
traveling?
7. Why does a spaceship traveling in outer space not need to have its engines running to travel at
22,500 mph?
8. Why does a 50 car train take so much force to slow it down? How does this relate to Newton’s 1st
law of motion?
9. If you were in outer space and decided to throw a football how far could it travel and why?
10. When applying a force to a mass what physical change will have to occur so long as the applied
force is greater then the frictional force?
11. How does the normal force of an object on an inclined plane compare to the force due to gravity?
12. Explain how a bird that is flapping their wings is able to fly?
13. When standing on a scale in the elevator a student that has a mass of 150lbs will appear to have a
decrease in mass if the elevator is descending from the 8th to the 1st floor. Why does this happen?w
Vocabulary
A. Content/Domain/Text-Specific Vocabulary
B. Academic Vocabulary
Distance Displacement Speed Velocity
Acceleration…..Force….Mass…Mechanics…
Weight…..Location…Celestial Body…Gravity
Normal Force…Friction….Coefficient of Frication
Static Friction…Kinetic Friction…Free Body
Diagram…Tensional Force…Spring
Force…Terminal….Gravitational…Component
Constant Motion Initial Final Increasing
Analyze Depict Significant Implement
Calculate Discover Interpretation Steepest
Indicate Construct Disseminate…Fundamental
Resistance…Net…Magnitude…Law…Action
Reaction
Topics/Key Concepts
1. Define/Explain the 7 fundamental forces found in our everyday world.
2. Write the formula that can be utilized to determine the net force acting on an object.
3. Explain the difference between the mass and weight of an object at rest on a table.
4. Construct of graph of linear motion representing an object with a net force acting on it.
5. Construct a free body diagram representing the forces acting on an object in motion and at rest.
6. Calculate the force of friction acting on a body in motion and at rest.
7. Explain the difference between balanced and unbalanced net forces.
8. Define Newton’s 3 Laws of motion.
9. Explain how Newton’s 3 Laws of motion relate to a spaceship traveling in outer space.
10. Explain what factors affect air resistance in regards to the motion of an object.
11. Interpret the motion of a lab cart on a horizontal surface in relation to a force acting on it causing the
cart to accelerate.
Required Anchor Documents/Texts/Resources
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Glencoe Physics Textbook
Physics Reference Table
Mass vs. Weight Lab (physicsclassroom.com)
Fnet = ma Lab
Linear Motion/Force Formulas
Physicsclassroom.com website
7. Physics Regents Review Book
8. Examgem
9. Test Wizard
Common Core Aligned Writing Task
WHST 11-12.2
WHST 11-12. 6
WHST 11-12.9
1. Students will write down formulas regarding forces including physical quantities such as mass,
weight, friction, force, coefficient of friction, normal force, and acceleration due to gravity.
2. Students will write a lab conclusion (Fnet=ma) in which they will interpret the motion of a lab cart as
it is accelerating across a table top because of the force due to gravity acting on masses (hanging off
the table) attached to the cart. Students will assess and analyze the motion of the cart across the lab
table, construct a graph of force vs. acceleration, and calculate the slope of the line (mass). They
will collect and record data in all instances.
Supplemental Documents/Texts/Resources:
1. YouTube Video
2. Cartoon Animations
3. Lab Equipment – lab carts, masses, pulleys, digital scale
4. New York State Board of Regents Exams website
Suggested Activities:
1. A daily Do-Now will be completed
2. A physical demonstration of Newton’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd law will be conducted.
3. Lab Activities including: Mass vs. Weight, Fnet=ma
4. Students will present solutions to problems (to the entire class) written on a whiteboard
Formative Assessments:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Test
Quiz
Exit slip quiz
Oral quizzes (daily)
Presentation of completed forces questions
The exam for Forces will be based upon the point scale grading similar to the New York State
Physics Regents (each multiple choice question is worth 1 point, and the part II questions will be
wroth 1 or 2 points). Part II questions will require an equation, substitution with units, mathematical
work, and the answer with the appropriate units.
Verbal quizzes are graded based upon the student’s explanation of the question at hand.
The quiz is graded similar to the test (based upon New York State Regents Exam).
The presentations are graded based upon student’s effort throughout the completion of the problems,
the effort while presented, and the comprehension of the material.
Summative Assessments:
1. Students will complete an exam with 25 - 30 multiple choice questions.
2. Students will complete an exam with 4 – 5 part II (extended response) questions.
3. Students will write a lab conclusion describing and interpreting the acceleration of a lab cart across
the table because of an outside force acting on it. l
4. Students will construct various free body diagrams throughout the unit that will allow them to assess
the outside forces acting on an object.